Leukemia and Lymphoma

About these Cancers

Eye cancers can develop in patients of all ages. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer of childhood. This cancer, as well as other leukemias and lymphomas, can travel to the eye when a patient has an active disease. There are many different forms of both leukemia and lymphoma and they affect the eyes in different ways. In adults, vitreoretinal lymphoma (sometimes previously referred to as primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) or primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL)) is a rare but important form of lymphoma affecting the eyes of adults. In this disease, patients can present with floaters or chronic inflammation in the vitreous jelly of the eye, which can be confused for other non-cancerous causes, sometimes for months or years.

At Retina Consultants of Houston, we strive to stay on the cutting edge of the latest advancements in cancer treatment for children and adults. Board-certified ocular oncologist Dr. Amy C. Schefler has hand selected her team of physicians to provide patients in the Houston, TX area and beyond with cancer care that is unparalleled to other practices. These physicians were chosen from hundreds at Houston Methodist Hospital and Memorial Hermann Hospital. By having access to so many individuals, Dr. Schefler has built the best team in Houston.

Diagnosis

During your first visit, we will take your patient history to ask about your general and eye health. We will ask you to read from a chart at a distance to test your visual function. Then, we will perform an eye exam with pupil dilation and tonometry (pressure check). After these tasks are completed, your ocular oncologist will make a determination on what other types of tests will be needed to confirm your diagnosis of cancer. Keep in mind that a surgery called a vitrectomy may be required to give the proper diagnosis.

Treatment and Prognosis

Typically, a definitive diagnosis can be made with a vitrectomy. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment can include:

Vitrectomy

Injections in the eye of chemotherapy or immune modulating medications (methotrexate, or rituximab)

Chemotherapy

Radiation

Specialized Care for You

Learn more about our leukemia and lymphoma diagnostic and treatment services at Retina Consultants of Houston by calling us for an appointment. We have flexible scheduling hours throughout the week and will work with you to get the care you deserve. With 14 locations in the greater Houston area, we hope that there is a location close to you for prompt service and care.

Retina Consultants of Houston is the largest retina-only ophthalmology practice in Texas with 2 certified research centers and is one of the most respected in the United States. Our practice is also home to the Greater Houston Retina Research Center, one of the country’s leading sites for retinal research. All Retina Consultants of Houston physicians are board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and specialize exclusively in diseases and surgery of the retina, vitreous, and macula. In addition, we have an ocular oncology division, which focuses on cancer treatments for the eye. Our surgeons have studied at some of the most notorious institutions in the nation and all have graduated at the very top of their classes.